Study Guide — Budget Procedure, Legislative Strategy, and
Presidential Power
Definitions, Significance, Concept Connections, Examples
Budget Reconciliation
Definition: A special Senate process allowing budget-related legislation to pass with a simple majority
(51 votes), avoiding the filibuster.
Why It Matters: It enables major policy changes even without 60 votes, making it a powerful tool for
majority parties.
Concept Connections: Connects to Pivotal Politics by reducing the gridlock interval, and to
conditional party government since unified parties can use it effectively.
Example: Examples include the 2017 GOP tax cut and ACA-related adjustments passed using
reconciliation.
Pivotal Politics
Definition: A model that determines legislative outcomes based on key pivotal actors such as the
filibuster pivot and veto pivot.
Why It Matters: It explains why even majority-supported policies fail if pivotal members prefer the
status quo.
Concept Connections: Connects to filibuster rules, presidential veto power, gridlock, and
supermajority constraints.
Example: Example: Gun control bills fail despite majority support because they cannot reach 60 votes
in the Senate.
Earmarks
Definition: Targeted funding items inserted into bills to benefit specific districts or projects.
Why It Matters: They help build coalitions by giving lawmakers incentives to support legislation.
Concept Connections: Connects to credit claiming, distributive politics, and majority party agenda
setting.
Example: Example: Funding for a local bridge added to a transportation bill to secure a member's vote.
Conditional Party Government (CPG)
Definition: A theory stating party leaders gain power when their party is internally unified and
ideologically distant from the opposition.
Presidential Power
Definitions, Significance, Concept Connections, Examples
Budget Reconciliation
Definition: A special Senate process allowing budget-related legislation to pass with a simple majority
(51 votes), avoiding the filibuster.
Why It Matters: It enables major policy changes even without 60 votes, making it a powerful tool for
majority parties.
Concept Connections: Connects to Pivotal Politics by reducing the gridlock interval, and to
conditional party government since unified parties can use it effectively.
Example: Examples include the 2017 GOP tax cut and ACA-related adjustments passed using
reconciliation.
Pivotal Politics
Definition: A model that determines legislative outcomes based on key pivotal actors such as the
filibuster pivot and veto pivot.
Why It Matters: It explains why even majority-supported policies fail if pivotal members prefer the
status quo.
Concept Connections: Connects to filibuster rules, presidential veto power, gridlock, and
supermajority constraints.
Example: Example: Gun control bills fail despite majority support because they cannot reach 60 votes
in the Senate.
Earmarks
Definition: Targeted funding items inserted into bills to benefit specific districts or projects.
Why It Matters: They help build coalitions by giving lawmakers incentives to support legislation.
Concept Connections: Connects to credit claiming, distributive politics, and majority party agenda
setting.
Example: Example: Funding for a local bridge added to a transportation bill to secure a member's vote.
Conditional Party Government (CPG)
Definition: A theory stating party leaders gain power when their party is internally unified and
ideologically distant from the opposition.
